Hospitalito Atitlán Blog

Tuesday morning, a meeting was held at the new hospital construction site for the heads of the departments. The purpose of the meeting was to study the site and architectural plans, and to figure out how it will be possible to occupy the first floor of the new building until funds are raised to complete Phase III, the second floor.  Volunteer coordinator Rebeca Petzey, Dr. Chuc, Head of Social Work Chenta Chavajay and Chief of Staff Dra. Suzana, are standing in the future ER.

As the meeting came to an end, the first patients arrived! A woman and her child from Patulúl got off the bus at the construction site and asked if we were attending patients. The staff accompanied her to the temporary hospital.  YES, Dr. Chuc is on crutches, recovering from ACL surgery. He hopes to be back on the soccer field soon!

When physicians begin making plant so volunteer at Hospitalito Atitlán, their friends and co-workers become interested, and before you know it… they are volunteering too. Louise Kenny, working in the ER for five months invited her friend Adam McDiarmid a resident at the Northern Deanery training program for Cardiology, who works at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesborough, UK to join her for a few weeks in Guatemala. Dr. Adam had a long list of patients waiting for his arrival. Thanks…

Heidi Schneider is finishing her Hospitalito rotation and returning to San Francisco this weekend. After residency at UCSF, she plans to accept a Maternal Fellowship in Chicago, so that when she returns she will be of more help. Marcela Sisay is filling in for Nyla’s one-month vacation and doing a terrific job. Thanks Heidi!

Friends near Kingston Ontario Canada at the Canadian Guitar Festival raised 1200 CAD to be used for hospital operations; purchase of medicine and supplies, equipment repair, rent, salaries, etc. Washburn Guitars donated three travel size guitars for the fundraising effort. Thanks to everyone involved, and especially Del Vezeau who helped to make the donation possible.

Dra. Leslie Carey is finishing her volunteer time at HA this week and is saying goodbye to Rosalia in the pharmacy. Dra. Leslie works in the Ventura California hospital with Drs. Mark Lepore and Jerry Noah, who keep sending us the very best volunteers. Thank you all.